Keep It Between Us
by xXUsEdXx
Summary: When Gray mourns the loss of Zephyra, who is there in his time of need other than Juvia?


_I decided to make a oneshot sequel in place of Shattering Glass for The Butterfly Queen. There is some implied Gruvia (I don't ship it, but I don't hate_ Gruvia _and pics I find of them and moments in the anime cute in a rom-com way) and implied onesided GrayxOC. Anywho, in this Zephyra is still dead-dead-deadsky because I have a weird habit of reviving my OCs for weird reasons xD_

* * *

 _But one day, I'll see you face to face_

 _Then we'll say the things we meant to say._

She had been one of the strongest-willed people he'd ever met.

Even when he was obstinate and reckless as a kid, she had a way with things.

They separated when his master died and she was just a fleeting memory.

When she was the one who died, however, he was struck dumb with grief.

Gray knew that Zephyra was murdered for a sick cause, a cause he and his nakama ruined. But he had witnessed Zephyra's death and it left him suddenly unsure of himself. He strived to protect his nakama, yet the friend who needed him most, who was alone all her life, whose childhood was stolen from her...he had _failed._

Bringing her body back and burying her behind the guild wasn't even close to an atonement he could achieve for letting her die this way.

Gray sighed, standing at Zephyra's grave now, her body encased in ice. She wasn't decayed-her face was still the same, only those blue eyes were closed forever. His heart thudded beneath his flesh, as he was trying to keep his emotions in check. Zephyra had long forgiven him, had used what final seconds of life she had to protect him.

 _She protected him._

The pain was bubbling to the surface and Gray longed to hit something, anything, and didn't register the sharp pain searing across his knuckles. When he forced his burning eyes to focus, his fist was against the ice she was buried in, small cracks appearing where he made contact.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia's voice reached his ears and Gray turned to look at the rain woman behind him. Juvia bit her lower lip nervously as she approached Gray, her hands wringing together, until she was at his side and facing Zephyra. "Juvia thought she might find Gray-sama here."

"What is it, Juvia?" Gray asked wearily. He wasn't in the mood for the usually strange behavior the blue-haired mage had around him, but was surprised that Juvia did not start her lovey-dovey behavior. He was even more so surprised when Juvia touched the ice that kept Zephyra forever frozen on the grounds of Fairy Tail. "Juvia had a dream last night about Zephyra-san. Juvia knows Zephyra-san was a very dear friend of Gray-sama," she said softly, her eyes glistening with tears.

"You had a dream about Zephyra?" Gray could hardly believe what he was hearing. Juvia got jealous whenever he seemed to pay attention to another female, dubbing them her rival.

Juvia nodded. "Zephyra-san told Juvia she came to pass a message and to just ask something of Juvia." She paused, inhaling shakily as her eyes filled with tears. "Juvia thinks Gray-sama's Zephyra-san is very kind. In Juvia's dream, Zephyra-san was worried at how Gray-sama has been visiting her grave so often. She told Juvia to tell Gray-sama to stop looking so sad. She said that Gray-sama needs to let the rabbit go home and to live his life happily."

Gray's eyes widened for just a fraction of a second before, without thinking, a soft chuckle escaped him. That was definitely his rabbit, telling him to man up from beyond the grave. "What favor did she ask you, Juvia? To pass me the message and give me the kick in the ass I needed?" he asked her.

Juvia looked at him and smiled. "That is what she asked of Juvia," she answered. It wasn't a lie, exactly. It was that Zephyra asked her to keep the favor a secret, a favor she would do no matter who would ask it of her. However, it did give Juvia a sense of ease that a precious friend of the one who held her heart trusted her to do just that.

Gray stretched before turning toward the guild. "I'm heading back inside. You coming?" he asked Juvia.

"In a minute. Juvia wishes to pay her respects." Juvia turned to look at the frozen ash-blonde, aware that Gray was already heading back inside of Fairy Tail. The favor Zephyra had asked of her played through her mind.

 _"Juvia. Gray's like a kid with his feelings sometimes. So can I ask you to do me a favor and take care of that idiot for me? As someone who loves him the same way I do, I can trust you to be there for him when he needs it. Oh, and-" Zephyra had pressed a finger to her grinning lips and winked. "Keep that between us, yeah? Gray doesn't need to know, and he needs a kick in the ass anyway. Pass my message to him, at least."_

 _Juvia will be by his side, Zephyra-san_ , thought Juvia, with a soft smile at the young woman. _Juvia will do that, not only because she loves Gray-sama, but for Zephyra-san's love for Gray-sama as well._

 _"Juvia...thank you."_ Zephyra's voice wafted to Juvia's ears and the water mage could almost swear there was a smile on her lips from within her frozen tomb; here, then gone. Smiling, Juvia turned to head back into the guild as one more thought entered her mind.

Maybe in another life, if Zephyra's childhood hadn't been taken and she lived happily as a mage of Fairy Tail, Juvia and Zephyra could have been friends.

 _Like a bird with broken wings_

 _It's not how high he flies_

 _But the song he sings_

* * *

 _The song lyrics came from "Unfinished Memories" by Eowyn and "Courage" by Orianthi ft. Lacey (formerly from Flyleaf) as opening/closing songs_


End file.
